Calendar of Events

Join a certified forest therapy guide for a relaxing 2.5-hour stroll through the forest on the peaceful Arboretum grounds. Through a series of invitations, you’ll have the opportunity to be present in the moment, deepening your connection with nature and community, and enjoying the many gifts nature has to offer. Your guide will share mindfulness practices designed to connect you more deeply to your inner landscapes, as well as the world around you. Inspired by Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese art of immersing oneself in a forest environment, a forest bathing walk invites you to spend time in nature in a way that invites healing for ourselves, our fraught ecosystems, and our community. It is true nature therapy!

• Special, discounted rate of $45/person (includes parking!)
• Occurs on select dates each month
• Max group size is 15 for a more intimate experience

Hit the trails and learn more about The North Carolina Arboretum’s botanically diverse forest with a guided trail walk! April through October, this free hiking program is led by trained volunteer guides who take small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. Depending on the season and each guide’s area of expertise, topics of discussion may include wildflowers, plant and tree identification, natural history and more.

Guided trail walks are limited to 15 people, including the guide, and are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age. Groups depart from the Baker Visitor Center Lobby on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m..

Walks last 1.5 – 2.5 hours, are approximately one to two miles in length. As this program is held rain or shine, all participants should dress appropriately for the weather.

There is no pre-registration; walks are first-come first served and sign up sheets are located in the Baker Visitors Center.

Walks are FREE; however, donations to The North Carolina Arboretum Society are appreciated. Regular parking fees apply. Arboretum Society Members always park free.

Know Before You Go

• Guided Trail Walks are not recommended for guests under 16 years of age.
• Guided Trail Walks are rain or shine and all participants should be dressed comfortably and for the weather.
• Hikes cover 1-2 miles and last 1.5-2 hours.
• Well-behaved leashed pets are welcome to accompany their owners. In the rare case that a pet is disruptive or negatively impacts the experience, the pet and its owner may be asked to excuse themselves from the guided walk.
• COVID-19 Safety: In order to hear the guide and fully participate in the trail walk, participants will be in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. While face coverings are not required, participants should use their best judgement to keep themselves and others safe while enjoying the trails. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms or suspect they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should not participate.
• At this time, no more than 6 spaces may be filled by a single family/group through pre-registration for any one Guided Trail Walk. If additional spaces are available on the day of the Walk, additional members of the family/group may participate. We apologize for any inconvenience and look forward to welcoming larger groups in the future.

Join us for a relaxing ride through quiet countryside on your way to small town life in western North Carolina on the Tuckasegee River Excursion. Departing from Bryson City, this 4 hour excursion travels 32 miles round-trip to Dillsboro and back to the Bryson City Depot. Pass by the famous movie set of The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford!

The Tuckasegee (tuck-uh-SEE-jee) River Excursion includes an 1 hour and 20 minute layover in the historic town of Dillsboro, where you’ll find more than 50 shops, restaurants, a brewery, and country inns. There is time to shop, snack, and visit the many unique shops before returning to Bryson City.

Here’s what we plan on doing. Refer to this train’s schedule for departures times.

Given the nature of railroading, durations are approximate and subject to change without notice.

The “One Singular Sensation,” A Chorus Line, is coming to Flat Rock Playhouse for the first time and we are thrilled to share this award-winning musical with everyone! A Chorus Line is a celebration of those unsung heroes of the American Musical Theatre: the chorus dancers. The show follows 17 would-be dancers in their quest to make the cut for a new Broadway Musical. One by one, the dancers come forward to share the stories of their lives, giving it their all and putting themselves on the line to make the cut. Only eight will remain. Capturing the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition, A Chorus Line is the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all out there to make it come true!

A Chorus Line once held the record as the longest running show on Broadway with over 6000 performances, and heralds nine Tony® Awards including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Choreographer, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett. Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban. Co-Choreographed by Bob Avian. Original Broadway production produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp, Producer, in association with Plum Productions, Inc.

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Tony-winning triumph takes everyone’s favorite storybook characters and brings them together for a timeless, yet relevant, piece. With a book and score that are both enchanting and touching, the Brothers Grimm hit the stage and come to life in an epic fairytale about wishes, family, and the choices we make.

PERFORMANCE & ARTIST DETAILS
Janiec Opera Company of the Brevard Music Center
Brevard Festival Orchestra
Craig Kier, conductor

STEPHEN SONDHEIM Into the Woods

Sung in English with English supertitles

Auditorium seating is reserved.

From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the six wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st-century girl power! This new original musical is a global sensation that everyone is losing their head over! Featuring an all-woman cast and all-woman band, SIX has won 23 awards in the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the Tony Award® for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. The New York Times says SIX “TOTALLY RULES!” (Critic’s Pick), and The Washington Post hails SIX as “Exactly the kind of energizing, inspirational illumination this town aches for!”  The SIX: LIVE ON OPENING NIGHT Broadway album debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard cast album charts and surpassed 6 Million streams in its first month.

Experience cinema’s most iconic music performed by The New York Film Score Orchestra in a candle-lit setting.
An immersive tribute to Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Andrew Lloyd Weber and many more. The most iconic movie music performed by a live chamber orchestra in an enchanting candle-lit setting under a glowing moon.

Venue: First Congregational Church, Asheville NC – The century-old venue houses an elegant sanctuary dominated by stone and red doors. A venue of purpose, history and elegance.

Saturday, July 29th
4:00pm, 6:00pm and 8:00pm

Doors open 1 hour before showtime

Start time: 4:00pm
End Time: 5:15pm

Please note, the advisory age for this event is 5+ (no children under 3)

Programme:

E.T
Phantom of The Opera
Twilight
Romeo & Juliet
The Wizard of Oz
The Greatest Showman
Les Miserables
Titanic
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Sound of Music
Mary Poppins
Fiddler on The Roof

Asheville Junction returns to the Grey Eagle for an entertaining Saturday evening show July 29th @ 5 pm. Familiar standards to sing and tap along to, plus some unique covers & new originals! Grab some amazing food @thegreyeagletaqueria onsite while you watch the show! All ages. Tickets are $10 advance or $12 door.

Drinks, foods, gaming, and relaxing with great company!

Everyone is invited to Bring Your Own Games (optional). I’ll be bringing some card/board games and the Brewery has bocci ball, cornhole, and more! Kick some ass at your favorite game or pick up something entirely different while making new friends.

From the local favorites to new regional acts, all live from the river banks of the Nantahala. Raft, dine, then jam with us with Live Music every Friday and Saturday from 5pm-8pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

Wanna hear the best local music ​and​ drink the best local beers? Hop aboard LaZoom’s Purple Bus and rock out with a local band while we take you on a journey to Asheville’s premiere local breweries.

Promotion (2): Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond Night

Battle alongside the Tourists as we defend McCormick Field from the invading Rome Braves on Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond Night!

Promotion: Black Panther Character Apperance

Come enjoy a Black Panther character appearance at McCormick Field on Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond Night.

Experience cinema’s most iconic music performed by The New York Film Score Orchestra in a candle-lit setting.
An immersive tribute to Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Andrew Lloyd Weber and many more. The most iconic movie music performed by a live chamber orchestra in an enchanting candle-lit setting under a glowing moon.

Venue: First Congregational Church, Asheville NC – The century-old venue houses an elegant sanctuary dominated by stone and red doors. A venue of purpose, history and elegance.

Saturday, July 29th
4:00pm, 6:00pm and 8:00pm

Doors open 1 hour before showtime

Start time: 4:00pm
End Time: 5:15pm

Please note, the advisory age for this event is 5+ (no children under 3)

Programme:

E.T
Phantom of The Opera
Twilight
Romeo & Juliet
The Wizard of Oz
The Greatest Showman
Les Miserables
Titanic
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Sound of Music
Mary Poppins
Fiddler on The Roof

Experience performances by world renowned Vienna Light Orchestra as they play cinema’s most iconic music, surrounded by over 2,000 LED candles. An immersive tribute to Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Andrew Lloyd Weber and many more. The most iconic movie music performed by a live chamber orchestra in an enchanting candle-lit setting under a glowing moon. “Immerse yourself in the captivating melodies of the Vienna Light Orchestra, where timeless classics blend seamlessly with contemporary arrangements. Join us for an enchanting evening of symphonic brilliance that transcends time.”

Vienna Light Orchestra is privileged to perform at the historic First Congregational Church in Asheville, NC – The century-old venue houses an elegant sanctuary dominated by stone and red doors. A venue of purpose, history and elegance. Step into the awe-inspiring sanctuary, where every whispered note reverberates with ethereal grace, as the divine acoustics transform each instrument into a symphony of celestial harmony.”

🕰 Date and Showtimes: Saturday, July 29, 2023 at 4pm (sold out), 6pm & 8pm

🕰 Runtime: 70 Minutes (an easy addition to your evening plans!)

📌 Venue: First Congregational Church, 20 Oak St Asheville, NC 28801

Programme:

Pirates of the Caribbean
The Sound of Music
E.T
Phantom of The Opera
Twilight
Romeo & Juliet
The Wizard of Oz
The Greatest Showman
Les Miserables
Titanic
Mary Poppins
Fiddler on The Roof
… and More!

Highlights
🕯️ A spirited ambience bathed in magical candlelight.
🎼 Talented world-class orchestral musicians performing powerful favorites – Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom of the Opera, Hans Zimmer, John Williams…and MUCH more!
💃🏻 Performers are from the renowned Vienna Light Orchestra.
🏛 Stunning architectural intimacy awash in a parade of intimate candlelight and more.

Note: For the safety of our audience, all of the candlelight ambiance is provided through flameless candles.

From the regional crafters to local guide artisans, set up on the river banks of the Nantahala. Come and meet these vendors and more on the second Saturday of every month, May – September.

If you are interested in joining us as a vendor, please fill out your information here: https://forms.gle/BgqQQpY4XSGqtH6f6

Modelface Comedy presents Mark Chalifoux at Ginger’s Revenge South Slope Lounge (32 Banks Ave)

Mark Chalifoux is a nationally touring comedian who has told jokes on FOX and IFC and can he heard regularly on SiriusXM and the “Bob & Tom Show.” His comedy album has been streamed more than 1.5 million times on Pandora and his newest special is streaming now on Dry Bar Comedy. He’s written for ESPN, CBS and he’s one of the voices behind social media phenomenon “The Dad.”

featuring TBA

ages 18+

– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY
– RAIN OR SHINE

Mama & The Ruckus
The Ruckus is an intergenerational project with a big sound and an even bigger heart. They recently represented the Women in Blues Foundation in Memphis at the International Blues Competition.  Inspired by The Allman Brothers, Janis Joplin, and Etta James, The Ruckus is led by Mama who writes songs about the trauma and pain that every person inevitably experiences in their lives. She sings these songs as a cry for hope, healing, and inspiration to others and you hear that in every note that the band plays. With soaring guitars, wailing vocals, screaming harmonicas, and funky bass, keys, and drums, the Ruckus has a sound that is undeniably unique.

Mckinney
A 22-year-old bass player, singer/songwriter living in Asheville, NC.  Since moving to AVL in 2018, McKinney has been mentored by a plethora of Asheville’s finest. McKinney is a resident artist with LEAF Global Arts and has been a regular performer at the LEAF festivals for the past 6 years. She grew up touring with an empowerment concert tour that educates youth about mental health resources. K continues to infuse her shows with a genuine vibe that lifts her audience and truly makes them feel seen and heard. She released her debut solo album in 2021 entitled “Stay,” produced by Josh Blake at Echo Mountain.  With McKinney on bass and vocal, Thommy Knowles of the Fritz on keys, Derrick Johnson from Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band on trombone, Alex Bradley of Empire Strikes Brass on trumpet, Isaac Hadden of IHP on guitar and backing vocals, and K’s drummer of 13 years Aryan Graham on drums, you can feel the desire she has to create new music that reaches into your soul and feels like an old friend. With new music, coming early 2023 produced by Ted Marks & Thommy Knowles, this young woman is ready to take her place as the next powerhouse female coming out of Asheville.

Bat Boy: The Musical

Book by: Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming; Music and Lyrics by: Laurence O’Keefe

A rock musical, Bat Boy: The Musical expands on a June 23, 1992 Weekly World News tabloid story about a bat boy – half-boy, half-bat – found in a cave and forced into society. The musical – at turns both haunting and hilarious – deals with themes of racism and revenge, hypocrisy and forgiveness. This darkly quirky, compelling musical is not to be missed!

Content Warning: Bat Boy: the Musical contains violence, drug use, and sexual references. Viewer discretion is advised.

Accessibility:

All performances: Accessible wheelchair/scooter seating available.

Saturday, Aug 5, 2023: ASL-Interpreted Performance

Hendersonville Theatre proudly presents Everything Is Rosie, a tribute to Rosemary Clooney, as July’s intimate Hometown Sound concert.

Everything Is Rosie tells the story of Rosemary Clooney’s rise to the top of the Billboard charts in the 1950s, her success in Hollywood in films like White Christmas followed by her mental breakdown, and finally her triumphant return to the top of the jazz charts in the 1980s and 1990s. It is a compelling story of heartbreak, tragedy, perseverance, and triumph. As Wendy Jones takes the audience on a riveting trip through Rosemary’s life, she interweaves some of Rosemary’s most beloved hits such as “Come On A My House”, “Half as Much,” “Hey There” and Tenderly,” as well as songs from her movie musicals and jazz standards by composers such as George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, and Harold Arlen.

You can learn more about Wendy Jones at the Wendy Jones Quartet at wendyljonesmusic.com.

Everything Is Rosie tells the story of Rosemary Clooney’s rise to the top of the Billboard charts in the 1950s, her success in Hollywood in films like White Christmas, followed by her mental breakdown, and finally her triumphant return to the top of the jazz charts in the 1980s and 1990s. It is a compelling story of heartbreak, tragedy, perseverance and triumph. As Wendy Jones takes the audience on a riveting trip through Rosemary’s life, she interweaves some of Rosemary’s most beloved hits such as “Come On-A My House”, “Half as Much,” “Hey There” and “Tenderly,” as well as songs from her movie musicals and jazz standards by composers such as George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and Harold Arlen. Jones is renowned as a featured singer of the Asheville Jazz Orchestra and an audience favorite. She is a professional vocalist, arranger, songwriter, producer and commercial voice specialist. She has appeared on stages from New York to Tokyo and has performed with artists such as NEA Jazz Master Jamey Aebersold, The New York Voices, legendary jazz guitarist Howard Alden, jazz violinist Christian Howes, the Page Brothers and Crystal Gale, and she has sung backup for the alternative hip hop group Deltron 3030 and for Las Vegas Elvis Impersonator, Donnie Edwards. She has appeared at Club Bonafide in NYC, the Jazz Arts Initiative, the Mountain Oasis Music Festival, the Spartanburg Jazz Festival, Our World Festival and the Django Reinhardt Festival in Asheville. In addition to singing with her own jazz quartet, she is the featured vocalist with the Asheville Jazz Orchestra, the Ole ’74 big Band, the Russ Wilson Orchestra, the Michael Jefry Stevens Trio, the Richard Shulman Group and is often a guest vocalist with the Greenville Jazz Collective big band. She has recorded her own projects as well as with Darmon Meader of the New York Voices, the Richard Shulman Group, Michael Jefry Stevens and Steve Watson. Jones has served on the executive boards for the North Carolina Chapter and the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Association of Teachers of Singing and as a mentor teacher as part of the NATS Mentored Teaching program. She is a member of ASCAP, a voting member of the Recording Academy (GRAMMY’S), Actors’ Equity Association and the Jazz Education Network. Jones received a B.M. and an M.M. in vocal performance from Appalachian State University and then joined the voice faculty there where she taught for 8 years before embarking on a full-time, professional singing/acting career. Having sung with Opera Carolina, Appalachian Opera Theatre and the Brevard Music Center Opera, her favorite roles include Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore, Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief and Papagena in Die Zauberflöte. An accomplished Equity actor as well as singer, Jones has appeared in leading roles on stage at many professional theatres throughout the U.S. including Florida Repertory Theatre, Flat Rock Playhouse, Little Theatre on the Square, Temple Theatre and Blowing Rock Stage Company in roles such as Miss Sandra in All Shook Up, Brenda in Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Luisa in The Fantasticks, Fiona in Brigadoon and Eliza in My Fair Lady. Jones has also appeared as a soloist with the The Symphony of the Mountains, the Western Piedmont Symphony, the Asheville Choral Society and the Carolina Concert Choir in works such as Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, John Corgliano’s Fern Hill, Bach’s Magnificat and Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor.

Written by Honor Moor
Directed by David Doersch
The second World Premiere of the season, Treasure Island is a new take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of buccaneers and buried gold, from local playwright Honor Moor. Fun for the whole family!

All shows will be at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in the Montford District of Asheville, and all will be presented absolutely FREE of charge!

All shows will run Fridays through Sundays and all will be presented at 7:30pm and prime seats can be reserved.

Montford Park Players has been bringing some of theater’s greatest works to Western North Carolina for over 50 years. Montford Park Players continues its mission of bring free theater to the community. The summer season allows everyone to come spend an evening under the stars, seeing some of the best live performances presented in Asheville.

– ALL AGES
– STANDING ROOM ONLY

IDLEWILD SOUTH (Allman Brothers Band)
IDLEWILD SOUTH, The  Allman Brothers Band Tribute, was founded by keyboardist and vocalist Don Eason, a veteran musician whose initial influence of The Allman Brothers Band’s live performance goes back to his first concert experience of the band on Easter Weekend of 1970, at The Winter’s End Concert in Bithlo, Florida.

A duo of drummers, Robert Kintner and L.A. Freeman , plus percussionIst Roland J. Beckerman provide the foundation. Slide Guitarist/Vocalist Dave George and Lead Guitarist/ Vocalist Mark Mulholland bring forth the dual guitar harmonies and searing guitar leads Duane Allman and Dickey Betts pioneered in the late 1960’s.  Former Dickey Betts Band Bassist Marty Privette holds down vocals and the bottom end for the band.   In the tradition of The Allman Brothers Band, IDLEWILD SOUTH’s live shows can exceed a staggering 3 1/2 to 4 hours  in length. The set lists are different every night, drawing from The Allman Brothers Bands self-titled debut album, 2nd album Idlewild South, Live At Fillmore East, Eat A Peach, and Brothers and Sisters, all recorded between 1969 and 1974. A few select songs from their albums between 1989 and 2000 are also included.  Over the years IDLEWILD SOUTH has had the privilege of having Johnny Neel (Allman Brothers Band), Bruce Katz (Gregg Allman Band), Lamar Williams, Jr. (Son of former ABB Bassist Lamar Williams) and Guitarist Chris Hicks of The Marshall Tucker Band sit in for multiple shows. All of these great musicians will continue to play with IDLEWILD SOUTH as scheduling permits.

DIRTY DEAD (Grateful Dead)

Dirty Dead is a Grateful Dead / Jerry Garcia Band tribute band from Asheville, NC.  The group creates fresh, new versions of the classic Dead tunes.  Bringing in funk, reggae, hard rock, country, jazz flute and almost anything new and different, DD causes a ruckus with their new sound.

Yet their roots to the music that Jerry and the Dead fostered is palpable.  Dirty Dead’s performances strive for the same energy of improvisation to ‘bring out their dead’ vibe.

The band is becoming known for its open, GD family vibe.  They frequently welcome awesome talent to the stage to join the band for their epic sets.  Since their first performance in September of 2016, the group has built a strong following.

ERIC TRAVERS BAND (The Band) 

The “One Singular Sensation,” A Chorus Line, is coming to Flat Rock Playhouse for the first time and we are thrilled to share this award-winning musical with everyone! A Chorus Line is a celebration of those unsung heroes of the American Musical Theatre: the chorus dancers. The show follows 17 would-be dancers in their quest to make the cut for a new Broadway Musical. One by one, the dancers come forward to share the stories of their lives, giving it their all and putting themselves on the line to make the cut. Only eight will remain. Capturing the spirit, tension, and hope of an audition, A Chorus Line is the musical for everyone who’s ever had a dream and put it all out there to make it come true!

A Chorus Line once held the record as the longest running show on Broadway with over 6000 performances, and heralds nine Tony® Awards including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Choreographer, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Conceived and Originally Directed and Choreographed by Michael Bennett. Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante, Music by Marvin Hamlisch, Lyrics by Edward Kleban. Co-Choreographed by Bob Avian. Original Broadway production produced by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Joseph Papp, Producer, in association with Plum Productions, Inc.

Experience cinema’s most iconic music performed by The New York Film Score Orchestra in a candle-lit setting.
An immersive tribute to Hans Zimmer, John Williams, Andrew Lloyd Weber and many more. The most iconic movie music performed by a live chamber orchestra in an enchanting candle-lit setting under a glowing moon.

Venue: First Congregational Church, Asheville NC – The century-old venue houses an elegant sanctuary dominated by stone and red doors. A venue of purpose, history and elegance.

Saturday, July 29th
4:00pm, 6:00pm and 8:00pm

Doors open 1 hour before showtime

Start time 8:00pm
End Time 9:15pm

Please note, the advisory age for this event is 5+ (no children under 3)

Programme:

E.T
Phantom of The Opera
Twilight
Romeo & Juliet
The Wizard of Oz
The Greatest Showman
Les Miserables
Titanic
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Sound of Music
Mary Poppins
Fiddler on The Roof